Unconventional Means
by Caiteeland
Summary: First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage..that is, unless your Vice Foreign Minister Darlian, the man you've loved since adolescence died and you wake up, naked, next to your chief of security, then you do everything ass backwards. R&R, pretty please!
1. Chapter 1

**Unconventional **

by MoiChroi

Romance

Rated PG-13 to M

Standard Disclaimers Apply

**Authors Note:** I haven't written anything un-blog related, fanfiction or otherwise, in many years so please try be somewhat understanding when it comes to my inexperience! This is an idea I've been playing with for a few weeks now out of my love for alternate GW pairings and I hope you'll like where it leads.

Additionally, I'm open for offers of a beta reader!

**Warning**: There might be a TON of OOCnes in this one. As I've said, it's been a long, long, long time so bear with me!

* * *

><p>It was warm. Not just warm but almost stiflingly so. That was the first thought Relena Darlian had as consciousness crept in. Her skin felt sticky, tacky, like she'd forgotten to turn the thermostat down and fallen asleep under her heaviest winter comforter. Her body felt heavy, her limbs uncooperative as she tried to shift around in bed but she quickly became disgruntled as she realized progress wasn't to be had in the mess that were her sheets. They were a mass of mussed fabric that stuck to her sticky body and hindered any progress she had been hoping to make.<p>

It was as she decided to give up and fling the comforter away from her body that she felt the puff of warm breath on the outer shell of her ear that sent a chill down her spine and froze her in her tracks. Her blue eyes flashed open. It was in that moment several facts became evident to the former Queen.

1.) She was naked as a jaybird

2.) Her head was aching and she suspected it had everything to do with the bone dry bottle of Brandy on her nightstand.

3.) The heaviness she felt was due largely in part by the naked, very obviously male body wrapped around her.

'Dear lord,' she thought, 'what have I done?' More importantly, WHO, had she done IT with?!

The nights events up until that moment had been stored at the back of her consciousness but quickly came rushing back. The ball, the security breach that had sent Relena and her bodyguard fleeing the scene, the tense ride home, one too many glasses of burning libation, a flash of violet, hastily divested clothing and hands touching, everywhere.

Another warm breath on her skin, this time a little lower, sent another shiver through her reminding her that she had yet to investigate her bed mate as to identify the owner of the muscular arm that was currently circled possessively around her naked waist. Well, she supposed she ought to get it over with. This wasn't her first rodeo or rather, this wasn't the first scandal she had found herself attached to during her reign as Vice Foreign Minister. It was however the most personal, private and embarrassing. Until now she had never imagined herself as the type to jump into bed with strange men or pursue casual encounters of sexual nature with them. Yet here she was.

Sighing softly to herself Relena turned her head to get the first glance of her partner. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch she made the transition until her warily eyes fell on the mans sleeping face and felt her breath hitch in her throat in surprise.

There was no scrambling through her mind for a name to attach to the face, no uncharacteristic thoughts of, 'I'd rather chew my arm off than wake up that guy,' or any other thought of the sort. The face of the slumbering man was so easy to place she could have laughed had she not been so afraid of waking him and yet the ease in which she recognized him sobered her immediately and she was able to study his peaceful face for a long moment before his brow furrowed and those violet eyes snapped open.

Nose to nose they regarded each other warily. Relena, close enough to see herself reflected in his eyes, saw a hot mess that she could only grimace at. God, what he must think of her in that moment.

The never mussed, always polished to perfection, composed and wonderful Vice Foreign Minister, looking like a haystack with kohl smudged eyes and, was that a hickey?!

Deciding she was far to close to her head of security, Relena drew back slightly and couldn't help the raised eyebrow she gave him. Was he going to say anything? She could feel the hysteria start bubbling within her as he continued his silent stare down.

Then he smiled that carefree smile that curved up his lips and caused the edges of his eyes to crinkle.

"Mornin' princess" Duo Maxwell murmured.


	2. Chapter 2

Maybe it was the fact that she was still wrapped in his arms or the fact that they'd spent god knows how many hours the night before indulging in sexually explicit activities but my, that smile and that low, sleepy timbre of his voice were a delightful combination that made everything south of Relena's navel clench.

"Good morning, " she murmured in return, nodding with a tight smile.

Her somewhat stiff greeting did nothing to deter Duo however for his smile grew wider and his teeth flashed white against the pink of his lips. "Now, princess, dontchu think all that formality is a tad silly given our position?" he admonished, finally releasing his hold around her waist and stretching leisurely. "Man, I slept like the dead!" he exclaimed appreciatively.

Relena could feel herself relaxing. After all, Duo's carefree attitude was always catching. "Yes, I suppose it is a bit silly, forgive me," she smiled, "I suppose I'm still a little..surprised this morning."

A pout on his lips, Duo regarded her for a minute before shrugging. "Well I guess I would be surprised too if I found myself stark naked with one of my bodyguards" he confessed with a chuckle. "Tell you what, princess, why don't I leave you to get dressed and we can talk about this over some breakfast" Duo suggested, "I seem to have worked up quite the appetite." With a wink and not even a smidgen of embarrassment he was out of her bed and dragging his trousers up over his, rather nicely sculpted, backside.

Despite the blush she felt creeping up over her face Relena did not, could not, look away from the half naked man in front of her as he bent and scooped up his shirt from off the floor. Over his head it went and stretched snugly across his shoulders before falling over his chest and toned stomach. Not before she had time to notice the faint happy trail that disappeared below his belt line, though. Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat Relena nodded, more to herself than to give him any indication she'd heard, and sat up slowly while keeping a firm hand on the sheets that covered what was left of her modesty.

Duo was buckling his belt when he stopped suddenly and met her gaze. "Relena-" he began, his face suddenly alight with honesty.

A sharp knock on her bedroom door startled them both, "Miss Relena, I hate to trouble you but Lady Une is calling for you," came Pagan's muffled voice, "she has expressed her concern that neither you nor master Maxwell checked in as per protocol" he explained, his tone apologetic.

Relena raised questioning eyes to Duo who was frantically gesturing to the door in what she took to mean that she should answer. "Yes, Pagan, I'm so sorry! Could you please tell Une that I will return her call post haste" she called back, "I'm afraid I had fell asleep while Agent Maxwell was doing a sweep of the perimeter."

She glanced quickly at Duo and was relieved to see that he at least looked like he approved of her lie. He pantomimed drinking and eating so she added, "I'm afraid Agent Maxwell spent the night out on the balcony, keeping watch but went out not long ago to procure some breakfast for us. You know how he is, always thinking of his stomach!"

This was met from a look of mock hurt from Duo but then he wordlessly crossed over to her side of bed, kneeling across to where she still clutched her sheets to her chest and touched his forehead to hers. "I'll go out the window. We'll hash this out when I get back" he promised. "Now, speaking of my stomach, I'm off to 'procure' us some grub."

With a wink and a wave he slipped soundlessly out the glass door leading to the balcony and was gone, leaving Relena staring after him. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized how crazy it all was that Duo Maxwell of all people had just snuck out her window after a scandalous night spent together.

"Miss Relena?" Pagan questioned. Giving herself a mental slap she threw the bedclothes from her still too warm body and made a mad dash to the adjoining bathroom. "I'll be down directly, dear Pagan!" she shouted while hastily twisting the hot/cold knobs for the shower.

* * *

><p>Once the water was lukewarm enough to suit her Relena stepped into the shower and met the harsh spray head on. It felt heavenly.<p>

She knew she was expected to give Une a call back asap but honestly it was the last thing on her mind. She was in no hurry to be scolded, she was a grown woman for petes sake and besides, she NEEDED this time in the shower to sort herself out. As she scrubbed a dollop of her favorite shampoo into her hair and allowed the water to pour down over her body she was made aware of every tender spot on her body, courtesy of Duo. Most noticeable was the dull ache located between her legs.

'Whoah, buddy, he'd gone to town alright' she noted wryly, 'of course it would be my dumb luck that I'd done the deed with a former Gundam Pilot, lived to tell the tale but couldn't remember it!'

Disappointment coursed through her with shame close on its heels. She'd just narrowly escaped being found in bed with Duo, drank so much that she couldn't remember it all going down, or if she had for that matter, and here she was in the shower daydreaming about the situation for Pete's sake! The press would have a field day with this juicy bit of gossip and her life would be dissected in every tabloid from Earth to the Colonies. Front page too, no doubt.

Relena couldn't help the groan that escaped her at the mere thought.

Figuring she had spent enough time prolonging the inevitable she exited the shower, grabbed the fluffiest towel she owned and wrapped her slender body in it before walking back into the bedroom to assemble her wardrobe for the day.

"I hope black coffee and egg croissants are alright, princess."

She'd been rifling through her drawers for a matching bra and panty set and whirled when she heard his voice from behind her. "Jesus, Duo!" she exclaimed, clutching her towel to her chest while trying to calm her thumping heart. "Warn a girl next time you go sneaking around" she scolded him as she narrowed her eyes at his grinning form where it languished in her vanity chair. She had gathered her wits about her enough at this point to be vaguely thankful he'd stayed away from the bed.

"Whoops, sorry" Duo apologized. "I figured you woulda heard the door. Had to do some damage control on the way in" he explained as he began to rifle through contents of the grease stained bag he held. He removed a wad of napkins and two hastily wrapped egg croissants and held one up for her. It was rather endearing, Relena would give him that. "Coffee is still piping hot" he added as he bit into his breakfast.

Relena couldn't help but smile despite herself. It was just so sweet and so comical. She was standing in the middle of her bedroom in nothing but a towel and there he was, bringing her breakfast after what she had surmised was a night of unbridled passion and seeming blissfully unaware of her state of undress.

"Thank you, Duo. I'm just going to get dressed first" she told him kindly and was amused when he froze mid-bite and finally let his eyes settle on her towel-clad body. "Well, would you look at that" he muttered. Relena frowned, "look at what?" she questioned warily, watching him as he, voluntarily, set down his breakfast and got to his feet to make his way to her.

He was in front of her before she could beat a hasty retreat to the bathroom and she flushed when his fingertips settled on her collarbone. "Duo-" she warned.

"Shh, Relena" he interrupted, dragging one finger softly from her collarbone and up against the curve of her neck. "These won't be easy to hide" he whispered, eyes darkening. "I guess I overdid things a bit."

Hickeys. Relena knew he meant hickeys and judging from the various sore spots she'd noticed on her person in the shower there were a lot of them. She'd have to go a little heavy on the makeup today..maybe even don a scarf for the day.

The pad of his thumb brushed against the heartbeat that was beginning to beat furiously against her skin at their close proximity.

Relena sucked in an unsteady breath and she knew it was now or never. Despite the sensuality he was stirring in her and the hungry look that had slid onto his face, she knew she needed to do some damage control of her own before the situation became any more complicated.

"Duo, we need to talk about this. Before things escalate" she announced, trying to make her voice sound firm. The fingertips that had been moving across her skin froze and Duo's violet eyes swung back to meet hers.

"So, let's talk."

Relena nodded solemnly while cinching her towel closer to herself.

"I don't remember much of what happened from last night" she began quietly, "and quite frankly I think it might benefit us both if the events weren't revisited" she explained even as Duo's boyish face fell. She shook her head and made herself go on, "It's not that I wish to hurt you but there are so many reasons why we should put this behind us and remain good friends as we have been."

To his credit Relena thought Duo took it well. His face was a mask of seriousness. He even nodded in agreement with nary an argument on his lips. It was possible he knew the wisdom behind her words and feelings. Before anything else he was her employee, her friend second. There were too many variables involved to even consider the idea of the two becoming lovers. Still, it bothered her that he'd looked disappointed before..

"As always you have made your points well, princess" he told her, "we'll put this behind us and pretend it never happened. Enjoy your breakfast."

With an albeit less enthusiastic smile than before Duo bowed and moved to the door. He didn't stop, he didn't glance back. He slipped through the door as quietly as he'd come, leaving Relena almost wishing he'd stayed and his breakfast long forgotten.

"It's no use feeling down about it" she told herself sternly. "Letting anything develop out of our drunken indiscretion would have been a mistake...it had to be done."


	3. Chapter 3

He always knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, that he was impulsive, but this latest stunt really took the cake. Duo was so down in the dumps about it that even the passing thought of proverbial cake did nothing to lift his spirits.

"Oh, man, I really stepped in it this time" he groaned.

It had been a mere handful of days since he'd woken up in bed with America's Sweetheart, Champion of the Colonies, Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Peacecraft Darlian, in his arms. Those few minutes that they'd locked eyes while their bodies pressed against one another were some of the best few minutes of his life, handsdown. It had been a heavenly experience and the woman in his arms with the starry eyes and the cornsilk hair had been the angel.

'Yeahhhh, stars' he thought sourly, 'more like a dear caught in the headlights than the fantasy I keep trying to convince myself it was.' The hard truth was that Relena had no recollection of the events leading up to waking up next to him that morning and Duo knew it like a sucker punch to the gut after taking one look into her eyes. The only thing he had been able to do to combat the strange sense of disappointment he felt was to go on acting like the friend and confidant that he'd been over the last year.

"Not like she'd given me much choice in the matter" he grumbled, swinging his legs up and slamming his boots onto the mahognany desk that was currently his work space. Paperwork be damned, he hoped he'd picked up some mud or dog shit somewhere along the way. Let her try to figure that one out when it fell onto her desk Monday morning!

On second thought..he eyed the forms beneath his boots warily, not a spec of shit in sight, and was seized with second thoughts about his uncharacteristic passive aggressive behavior.

'Geez, whatsamatter with me?' he wondered as he repositioned his boots to a less cluttered portion of the desk and slouched back in his chair, locking his hands behind his head comfortably.

'You'd think this was the first time I'd ridden in the one night stand rodeo, what with getting myself all bent out of shape about it.' Not to say that Duo Maxwell made a habit of sleeping around by any means, Sister Helen had taught him better than all that, but he had crept out of one or two in his time.

If he really had to guess why he was so irritated he could probably peg it all on the feeling that had been nawing at his gut for the last few days.

It was guilt, plain and simple and it was driving him mad.

'That's what I get' he thought sourly, 'for goin' and sleepin' with my best friends girl!'

Heero Yuy had been a fellow Gundam Pilot once upon a time, during the war. It had been amongst the bloodshed, and the chaos that they had become friends, fighting alongside of one another in the name of peace.

Heero hadn't ever actually admitted to it, he wasn't much for admitting to anything, if Relena was any indication but they had been best friends all the way up until the time of his death, a year ago.

His death had sent them all grasping for stable footing while going through the motions but it had hit Relena the hardest. The girl had grieved for so long. She never waivered in her duties to the people but her grief had shone like a beacon. Hell, the folks in the colonies could have seen it and really, in a way, they had. Relena's delicate face had grown thinner during those long months, she developed dark smudges under her eyes that even the best concealers couldn't fully hide, her shoulders lacked the poise and strength they always seemed to possess and her nights were full of neverending nightmares of the accident that had claimed the former pilot.

It hadn't taken long for the news to hit the front page of newspapers and gossip rags nationwide. The media had lined up outside of Relena's home, the office and even managed to catch her after Sunday services a week later. Commander Une had been absolutely furious and had had Wufei track down the source of the leak within mere hours of the publication.

As it had turned out it was someone from one of Relena's very own inhome staff, the maid in charge of her afterhour care, that had leaked the story. The details had ranged from details of the accident, Heero's identity, their association and even a few candid photo's of Relena's grief filled face. One magazine had boasted the words, "A picture speaks a thousand words and we have TWO of the Vice Foreign Minister mourning the loss of former Gundam Pilot Heero Yuy!"

That had been the straw that broke the camels back. Relena's entire staff had been let go, Pagan being the only exception, and in their place Une had placed the 3 remaining ex-Gundam pilots turned Preventers on security rotation; that was how Duo had inherited the role of Relena's head of Security and ultimately become the Vice Foreign Ministers first ever one night stand. Heero had been Chief of Security before his death, Duo had been his second and at the time it was only the natural progression of things that had landed him in the position to fill Heero's shoes.

'Hmmph, who woulda thought I'd one day be filling that guy's shoes in ALL matters pertaining to the little Missy' he groused.

And that was where the knot of guilt in his stomach began. Everyone knew that in the unlikely event that anything ever prevented the perfect solider from fulfilling his duties that Duo would take over in his place but it had probably never occuried to the stoic man to be worried about anything physical happening between his best mate and love interest and the thought that Duo had betrayed him by sleeping with his girl before he had ever even confessed his feelings to her, had him feeling pretty down in the dumps lately.

To make him feel even worse there was the devil on his shoulder, whispering wicked words of consolement in his ear. Heero was gone so why the heck should he feel bad about being with Relena, in any capacity? She was beautiful, highly intelligent, good natured along with a host of various other likable traits and Heero had left her afterall, although it wasn't due to any fault of his own, so in theory she was fair game.

After all, he and Relena had spent an entire year becoming close to in Heero's absence. They had established a closeness that Relena herself had admitted to not being able to have with anyone else.

AND it wasn't like Heero had ever really made any effort to change his relationship with Relena to anything outside of a working one nor given any indication that such a thing had ever crossed his mind in the first place! So, why the hell should he feel badly?

'Because Heero was my best friend' he reasoned with a sigh of defeat, 'and I know this would have been one helluva blow to the guy if he were still around.' Damn, that Heero Yuy, the guy could command loyalty even from the grave.

It dawned on Duo at that moment that there was only one way to even begin to alleviate the knawing guilt in his gut and that would be to try and reverse what he'd done.

"And the only way I can do that is to put as much distance as I can between myself and the princess" he muttered, swinging his legs down and around, planting his feet firmly on the ground. The plan wasn't ideal but he couldn't fuck things up any more than he already had so he guessed it would just have to do.

Operation avoid Relena would commence immediantly. 


	4. Chapter 4 part 1

**Unconventional**

**Chapter 4 part 1**

by MoiChroi

Romance

Rated PG-13 to M

Standard Disclaimers Apply

**Authors Note**: Sorry about the delay folks, writers block has struck again. If this chapter is a bit choppy and maybe just a bit crappy then you know why but I wanted to press onward so I could keep this story moving!

Huge thanks to all who have reviewed so far. You're thoughts and praise really are appreciated, especially when the reviews you send are the grease that keeps this mind of mine churning about more chapters!

Reviews make the world go round! 

Placing what seemed like the hundredth cracker that day in her mouth Relena chewed cautiously, trying to work up enough saliva to moisten the crispy morsel so it could make its way down her dry throat without sticking. It was slow going but she thought she was making progress. At least this one hadn't set off another round of dry heaving like the last several.

Her stomach was churning, twisting, writhing around on itself and despite all of her best efforts it hadn't let up since a few days prior. Pagan had suggested the saltines, Vitamin C tablets and double her normal amount of liquids, fearing that she had contracted the Flu from her recent visit a dedication in the new Pediatric Wing at 's Memorial. While her immune system wasn't weak by any means Pagan had explained that it wasn't uncommon for one to come down with any number of illnesses after visiting a Hospital.

Hospitals were sterile but sterile didn't always equate cleanliness so she'd have to begin supplements right away and take extra precautions to nip the pending illness in the bud he'd explained in his kindly way, leaving her with full bottle of chilled water, 2 Vitamin capsules and an arrangement of the aforementioned crackers.

Relena knew how an unexpected illness could impact her job so she'd taken Pagan's advice and had drank enough water in the last 4 days, it seemed, to fill her clawfoot bathtub and had eaten enough crackers to combat the nausea to see her through a lifetime. At the very least she'd been happy to report that her symptoms hadn't worsened under Pagan's instructions but they hadn't exactly gone on their merry way either.

Which was exactly why instead of sitting in on a meeting with a very important, potential contractor for an upcoming project, Relena Darlian was propped up in bed in her favorite flannel pajamas, surrounded by an abundance of fluffy pillows and her thickest quilt. Pagan had kindly supplied her with a pitcher of iced water, a platter of saltines, a novel from her study and a copy of that mornings paper to keep her occupied but rested.

It was just going on 11am and so far Relena had done little more than flip aimlessly through the channels on the television and toss around restlessly. She may feel like something the dog gakked up but with her history of being a workaholic she would have much rather been suffering through it, in a meeting right about then. Being confined to bed was so boring and she hadn't even been able to convince her faithful manservant to so much as play a game of cards with her. Pagan was much to worried about the state of her health and insisted she needed quiet rest, not the company of a tittering old man keeping her up.

Relena had known better than to argue..Pagan's word, although gentle, was firm and non-negotiable. She'd thanked him for his thoughtfulness and the older gentleman had seen himself to the door, bidding her a peaceful and pleasant rest as he went.

"Pleasant rest, indeed" Relena muttered, " it's impossible to rest when I feel like death warmed over."

If she had to be honest with herself Relena wasn't even sure what peaceful rest was these days even when she wasn't fighting off sickness. Heck, if she was real honestly with herself she knew she probably hadn't had a peaceful rest since her 15th birthday. The thought made her cringe as she sank further down into the cocoon of blankets she'd created.

'Now, that's just beyond sad. It's taken eight years, long, grueling years but here my body is finally telling me to slow down..' she mused thoughtfully.

It was hard to believe it had really been that long but as she lay there she began to think back over some of the more recent years of her life. She had accomplished so much, had come so far since being a silly, repulsively, naive school girl. Relena Peacecraft Darlian had morphed from one thing to another to another; little girl, Romefeller pawn, Queen of the World and finally, Vice Foreign Minister.

She was a sought after bachelorette, she'd had a string of semi-successful relationships despite the chaos of her schedule (which some of her past suitors had attributed to the demise of their relationships) she was a successful business woman and comfortably wealthy. She'd met many wonderful people on her journey. She had acquired many wonderful and dear friends, a handful of whom had stuck by her through the tough times, made her laugh in the good times and who had protected her through the dangerous times.

Then there had been Heero.

Relena squeezed her eyes shut. It had been months since she'd made the conscious decision to let his memory overtake her. Allowing even the mere whisper of his name to penetrate the walls she'd so desperately constructed sent her heart plummeting.

As painful as it had always been to love him, as crushing as it had been to bury him, to remember Heero Yuy was so much worse.

Thinking of him now, Relena could picture him so vividly.

She had memorized the tense set of his shoulders. Morning, noon or night, his posture was always that of a predator poised to strike; to spring into action at the slightest sign of danger. He was like a tightly wound coil.

Relena had always been comforted by the sight of him standing tall and unmoving outside of her door or in his quiet corner of her office. He had protected her with his life over the years, sacrificing the most precious part of himself, his life, for hers and the tense set of his shoulders had reminded her of his lethalness each day he remained by her side.

The memory of his intense, Prussian eyes came next.

Framed in the thickest lashes Relena had ever seen on a man, and often obscured by an unruly head of chestnut locks, Heero's eyes had been pools she'd found herself drowning in from the very first time he'd trained them on her, that day on the beach, and everyday thereafter she had just been treading water. Their beauty, the deep blue inkiness of their depths captivated her, sent everything south of her navel unfurling into a molten heat. They'd starred in her darkest dreams.

For others those eyes were the stuff of nightmares. Ice water in the veins. Many had withered under the weight of his trademark glare.

Relena swallowed against the aching lump building in her throat. She'd sworn to herself that she'd bury his memory just as surely as they'd buried him. She'd constructed a barrier against the thoughts of him that had plagued her in the months that had followed him but every once in awhile she found it impossible to keep it raised.

Even in death Heero was a force to be reckoned with. His memory was as forceful as he himself had been in life, making it impossible to keep the thoughts of him at bay.

Relena allowed herself, as she did on rare occasions, to let herself remember the details of the accident that had claimed his life.

Heero Yuy had been an immovable force, a wall of iron will that had come crashing down at the hands of a bumbling drunk. A fool who had been too intoxicated to think clearly, who had barreled through a stop sign and hit the vehicle Heero had been driving.


	5. Chapter 4 Part 2

**Unconventional**

by MoiChroi

Romance

Rated PG-13 to M

Standard Disclaimers Apply

**Authors Note:** So, this one ran a little longer than I originally intended but I guess I underestimated how much information would have to be packed into it to reach completion. It's probably pretty messy, as usual, as is my style but I hope you guys like it and that it satisfies a bit more than the last few chapters!

With every read a review would be greatly appreciated. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly are all welcome.

The handful of great reviews I received during the last chapter really helped get this one completed so huge thanks to everyone who left a review!

**Side note:** Do you have any experience as a beta? Think my writing is crappy and want to see it improved? Feel free to offer your services ;) 

Funny how bad news always came on sunny days. It was really quite ironic, really. That the sun should be shinning so brightly when the dark clouds of tragedy were silently drifting in overhead. At least, that was how Relena remembered it.

* * *

><p><em>"Miss Darlian, and are here to see you..they don't seem to have an appointment?" <em>

_Relena paused mid sentence on the draft she had been working on for the better part of the afternoon. Her secretary, Janice, was a bubbly 20 something girl with perfect brunette curls and a saucy smile whom Relena favored due to her competency but her normally happy tone was somewhat somber through the intercom speaker on Relena's desk. _

_She sighed, set her work aside and hit the output button, "You may send them in Janice." _

_Janice knew as well as the next person that Relena's schedule was chaotic and stressful. To have visitors, unscheduled and unexpected was unusual as well as looked down on but Relena knew when she heard the telltale click of the automated lock system that she had dutifully sent them through._

_Relena frowned. Under normal circumstances Preventor business was conducted in the privacy of Commander Une's office, usually revolving around threats and security protocol. To have not one but two officers, former Gundam Pilots no less, show up unannounced to her office told Relena that the visit was an important one. _

_The door to her office opened and through it stepped one disheveled looking Duo Maxwell and a stoic Trowa Barton. Again, under normal circumstances a stoic Trowa was something Relena was very well accustomed to. She smiled politely at him before letting her eyes slide over to Duo. Neither had made a move to come any further into the room but Trowa did close the door firmly behind him. _

_What set the alarm bells ringing was Duo's expression. Happy go lucky, goofy, fun loving, laid back. These were all words to describe the character and disposition of Deathscythe's former pilot but Relena saw the exact opposite on the braided mans face. _

_His vibrant blue violet eyes were shadowed by an emotion Relena couldn't place, his return smile was tight, forced. Everything about the way he stood, held himself, was off. His eyes searched her questioning ones for what seemed like an eternity before he shuffled forward. Relena watched him, eyes darting from him to Trowa as the polite smile she wore slid from her lips. _

_"Duo? Trowa..," she began, suddenly aware of a tight pressure building in her chest, "what is going on?" _

_She didn't expect an answer from the stoic brunette. She knew he was a man who didn't waste words. Her experience with his quiet disposition didn't stop her from willing him to say something. To say anything to break the horrible tension that they had brought in with them. To reassure her that the pressure she felt in her chest wasn't from tragedy as it had been in the past when such news had come. _

_"Princess, it's about Heero." _

_Duo's gaze was on the polished finish of her desk, on his hands, where he'd planted them on the surface. 'For support..' Relena thought absently. Whatever news they'd come here to deliver it was weighing on him enough that he needed it. _

_The braided man paused and visibly swallowed. Words failed him. _

_"Vice Foreign Minister, Agent Yuy was in an accident," this time it was Trowa who spoke and his voice was as stoic as the rest of him, "he didn't make it."_

_So much for reassurance. Leave it to the man who made people laugh for a living part time to deliver such a cruel blow. Irony was hard at work in her life today. _

_Trowa continued to speak, softly now, as he would to one of his wild circus animals. As she lowered herself down into her chair Relena could swear that his speech began to slow down. She caught words like, " car accident," Drunk driver" and "D.O.A" while slower and slower it became until it finally turned to mush to her ears. _

_It was impossible. Heero, dead? The man had lived through so many death defying situations. He'd tried to self detonate in 01 on several different occasions and had lived. Did his former comrades really expect her to believe he would have succumbed to a death so swift and ordinary as a car accident? _

_One look at the grief stricken face of Duo, Heero's self-proclaimed best friend, and Relena realized that, yes, they did. _

_The pressure in her chest was continuing to build. Like a knife it penetrated her chest cavity, wove it's way through her rib cage. It went nicely with the aching lump that had begun to form in her throat. _

_"Princess?"_

_Suddenly Duo's face was level with hers. He had finally come back to himself and now kneeled at eye level before her. She could see the worry in his eyes, the taut line of his lips. Relena didn't shy away from him, from his unexpected nearness but instead brought up one hand to gingerly massage her chest. Damn, her chest hurt. It hurt to breathe. _

_"Princess, what can we do?" Duo asked anxiously._

_Relena could have helped him feel useful. She could have requested a glass of water, a fluffy pillow, anything to make the young man feel like he could do some good for her in her time of need but Relena had never been one to grieve openly. _

_So, she smiled sadly though it felt brittle and stood, motioning for him to do the same. _

_"You can go" she told him softly, "you can go and be of use to Commander Une, in whatever capacity she can use you." Surely the Preventors were looking into the accident. Running tests. Investigating. Questioning. _

_"Thank you both for coming, Duo and Trowa, for being the ones to deliver the news" she added, "I know it wasn't an ideal job, to be the ones..." _

_What she wanted to say was that she knew no one else had wanted to put themselves in what would have been thought of as an awkward situation with the Vice Foreign Minister and her fragile emotions when the news was given. _

_Instead she gave them a polite dismissal. She didn't want to see further evidence that the words they spoke were truth and she knew that the longer they lingered the more real it would become. _

_Trowa was the first to move. He gave Duo a curt nod, signaling that he should follow suit and exited the office wordlessly. _

_Relena watched his exit and found herself feeling a sense of gratitude towards the man. He had always said only enough, never feeling the need to fill up empty space with idle chatter. It was something she had always admired about him and under the circumstances she was glad he'd stayed true to his character, not feeling the need to offer generic words of comfort. _

_Duo, on the other hand..._

_He hadn't moved. He stood mere inches from her, head tilted slightly, eyes trained on her and expression anxious. _

_Relena knew he was waiting for the breakdown everyone was expecting. Why shouldn't anyone expect it of her? She'd been in love with Heero for years. After all, she had spent the better part of her adolescence chasing Heero from one end of the earth to the next. It was only natural that she be expected to fall apart. That she come undone and drown herself in sorrow. _

_"Relena if you need anything, anything at all" Duo began, "at any hour, I'm around" Duo blurted suddenly. His voice was strained. He was fighting his own emotions Relena realized as she raised her eyes to meet his. Heero had been his best friend, his comrade, the only family the braided man had had in his entire life. _

_Relena nodded. _

_"Thank you, Duo." _

_The man in front of her returned her nod, placed a hand on her arm briefly and was gone. The last glimpse Relena saw of him was the end of his long braid disappearing around the edge of the door before the it clicked shut before him. _

_It was only in the silence that followed that Relena Darlian wept._

* * *

><p>The funeral had been a simple affair attended by only those who had known Heero best. Relena had picked out his casket herself. She had then relinquished all duties pertaining to his funeral to the others.<p>

The nature of the accident had made a formal viewing impossible but Commander Une had seen to it that the ESUN flag be draped over the closed lid to commiserate the former soldiers service.  
>Quatre had given a beautiful speech about the life Heero had lived, his dedication to Pacifism and of the bonds he'd forged with his friends before his passing.<p>

It was only during the somber walk the former pilots took as they carried the casket to the burial site that Relena let herself cry. She was unable to hide from the reality of it all. The lowering of the casket into the freshly dug grave had broken her heart. It reeked of finality. Heero was really gone.

It took months of tears and sleepless nights for Relena to build herself back up again. Her waking hours were filled with thoughts of him, of denial, of longing and her dreams were plagued with nightmares of the accident that had claimed her first loves life.

She often woke up covered in a sheen of sweat, the sound of screeching tires and crunching metal fading into the darkness as she shook and sobbed. Some nights the dreams were so real that she found herself choking on the smell of singed hair and burnt rubber.

She was at her lowest point at the time Duo had taken over Heero's position as Chief of Security and inserted himself into her life with a vengeance.

It was with more than a little resentment that Relena allowed the braided man to intrude on her life. She had been resigned for the last few years to the numerous, faceless Preventor officers that rotated shifts along the grounds. She'd grown used to them and they'd never tried to seek out her companionship. They'd merely done their jobs as Heero had instructed them to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

Duo proved himself to be anything but the bland, faceless agents that Heero had trained. In fact, the man turned out to be quite the opposite. When he showed the effect was like that of a hemorrhoid.

His loud, exuberant, presence was a pain in her ass.

_His loud, exuberant, presence was a pain in her ass._

The man didn't know the meaning of the term "companionable silence", he was obnoxious, and just downright pesky. He ate like a horse. He followed her around everywhere she went, his footsteps loud and grating on her nerves. Not at all like Heero's silent presence.

She couldn't stand it. She felt suffocated by his nearness. His constant chatter made her want to climb the walls. She'd spent 7 months retreating into her own shell and Duo's arrival threw a wrench into it all.

Then it had all changed.

He had accompanied her to Heero's graveside during one of her many visits and had the audacity as she crouched, tracing the words on his headstone with her fingertips, to tell her enough was enough. She'd whirled around to face him, her knuckles going white while her fingers clenched around the bouquet of lilies she held but instead of finding the hard look she'd expected to find saw only deep sympathy.

In soft, earnest tones he had reminded her of the man Heero had been. The man they both knew. What he would have expected of her in his absence.

_"He wouldn't have wanted to see you like this, Princess" he had told her, reaching a hand up to wipe away a bead of moisture that had gathered at the corner of one eye. _

_"He would have wanted you to be strong for him now..as he always was for you. Like he'd want to be now, if he was able."_

She knew, deep down in her aching bones she knew, that Duo had only spoken the truth but his words had left her feeling drained. 7 months had come and gone since Heero's passing and all she had done was mope. He would have been disappointed in her, this she knew. The Relena Darlian he had known wasn't this pathetic, sad, little girl. She was a strong woman who didn't whither away under the weight of duress.

In his place Duo reminded her that she'd grieved long enough.

It was hard after that to pinpoint when things had shifted between herself and Duo Maxwell after having the truth forced on her at Heero's graveside but before Relena knew it they had established an easy friendship. Having finally dug her way out of the pit of despair she'd been buried in it had been so easy to like him, to let his genuine happiness and easy smile work their magic on her frayed edges. The resentment she harbored for him melted away and was replaced with fondness.

In the months that followed it was his arms that came around her after a nightmare. His advice she sought on a particularly gruelling proposal. His appetite she combated with triple scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream on lazy afternoons. His laughter that echoed through the halls of her home.

Duo Maxwell might be slight in stature but his personality was big and it filled her life.

That was, until a few short weeks ago when she'd succumbed to his charm and welcomed him into her bed.

Relena sighed.

It had been such a shock to wake up in his embrace. Sure, it hadn't been the first time he'd climbed into her bed but it was the first time he'd done so without his clothing. Relena had panicked. While she hadn't been a virgin at the time of their coupling she hadn't been a bed hopper either. The empty bottle of brandy had been telling though. What had been meant as a reprieve from the stress of the security breach and the possible risk to her safety had turned into something altogether.

Most of her memory of that night was still fairly fuzzy around the edges but bits and pieces were startlingly vivid.

The brandy burning a trail down her throat. Her own flirtatious laughter. His throaty chuckle. Ripping fabric. Duo's sensual smile as his fingers scorched a trail from her neck to her collarbone.

Holy hell, the memory alone was enough to light a fire in her belly. She could only imagine what the sex had been like.

'Don't even go there, Relena' she scolded herself. It wouldn't do her any good to lay there and fantasize about a night that she couldn't even remember. She had nipped that whole situation in the bud when she'd decided to sweep it all under the rug and go on with life as if it had never happened.

'Which, actually, probably explains Duo's sudden disappearance from my life' she mused absently as her fingers plucked at a stray thread on her comforter.

He had been suspiciously absent over the last few weeks. Relena had inquired about the change in guard duty but Commander Une had assured her that nothing was amiss. It was just a simple trade of shifts. Something about another officer needing an earlier patrol block.

She let it go but hadn't been able to shake the suspicions that were brewing in the corners of her mind. Their friendship was solid and Duo was dependable. He never wavered in his duties. No way he'd just switch on her like that without mentioning it first. Without an explanation.

Not unless he was hiding.

From her.

'Heck, that's what happens when you make other people's decisions for them without asking. They tend to not want to be around as much, dummy' she thought scathingly.

Annnnnd it was that sudden, unbidden thought that made Relena bolt upright.

That braided idiot _had _been avoiding her!


	6. Chapter 5

With each tap of her designer heels on the marble floor there was an accompanying throb of pain in each temple. The bright fluorescent lights overhead magnified the matching explosion of pain behind her eyes. With each turn of her head to acknowledge a passing face, the tension in her neck stretched just a bit further. The vitamin C she popped on the elevator ride up was currently swimming around uncertainly at the bottom of her gut, along with half a bottle of water that had gone with it.

At this point Relena felt sure that the saltines she choked down in the car didn't have much chance of staying down.

An entire week had gone by since she came down with that God-awful flu. For an entire week she had done nothing but lay about in her night clothes, feeling like death. She followed Pagan's strict regime of nothing but vitamin C, water, crackers and clear broths. Unfortunately there was not much improvement, despite the man's efforts.

Morning, noon, and night her bones ached, and her vision swam with dizziness. Just the night before she had finally been overtaken by violent bouts of vomiting that left her weak and shaken on the bathroom floor.

That morning when she'd announced she would be returning to work, Relena was sure the old man was going to give himself a stroke. He argued. He pleaded. Heck, he even begged, much to her amusement, but she was firm in her position. There was only so much she could accomplish from home, and sadly her condition had not left much energy to get even the bare minimum done.

Work beckoned.

First things first, she would storm Preventor HQ. She was going to search every cubicle, nook and cranny until Duo Maxwell was produced. (1)Five weeks had come and gone since the one-night stand. Five weeks since Relena's A-type personality reared its ugly head, steam-rolling Duo into sweeping it all under the rug like it never happened.

Relena thought she made the right call, keeping things platonic between them rather than let one night of drunken sex interfere with their relationship. However, in doing so she forgot to give Duo the chance to make the choice for himself, let alone share his opinion on the whole situation. As a result of her control-freak tangent, Duo pulled himself from her security detail and went into hiding.

Hence her plan to tear Preventors HQ apart, inch by inch, in her search. She was going to find the ninny and talk some sense into him. By the end of the day she would have this mess straightened out, and their friendship would be back on its rightful track, not on the off-balance, uncertain path it had taken.

Of course it would be a lot easier if it didn't suddenly feel like the contents of her stomach were about to erupt like Helen.

She came to an abrupt halt, finding herself in the lobby, and sucked in a calming breath. It was a trick she'd learned as a child when she caught the occasional stomach virus. It bought her a few minutes, at most, to find a toilet to crouch above before her stomach began emptying.

'Just keep calm. There's got to be a restroom here somewhere', she told herself soothingly. 'Every lobby has at least one.'

It took all of her willpower to keep from breaking out in a panic, as the heaving feeling began. She managed to get herself to the receptionists desk without losing control.

The blonde at the desk smiled sweetly as Relena walked up.

"Vice Foreign Minister, how can I help you?" she asked. Her eyebrows drew together in concern while she quickly absorbed Relena's pale complexion, and the moisture that had begun to bead around her hairline.

"Are you al-"

"Restroom!" Relena blurted out in a panic. She wasn't going to make it. Familiar pressure was building up in her throat. She was going to vomit all over the lobby and it would be splashed, no pun intended, all over every tabloid in Brussels before noon.

She barely had time to wait for the receptionist to point to a set of doors to her left before she was sprinting towards them.

'Don't puke...Don't puke...Don't puke!'

Bursting through the bathroom door, Relena flung herself into the first stall she came to, frantically drawing her blonde locks away from her face before dropping into a crouch and promptly emptying the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl. It was swift and harsh; the force of it causing her eyes to well with tears.

'Damn this God-awful Flu', she cursed silently. 'You'd think I was dying. That's how wretched I feel!'

Reaching blinding for the toilet paper dispenser she ripped an ample piece from the roll and used it to wipe at her mouth with a grimace. She would absolutely die of embarrassment to make her exit from the restroom with bits of vomit on her face.

"Princess?"

Speaking of dying from embarrassment. If there was ever a time for an assassination attempt, it was now.

It had been too much to hope for that no one else but the clueless secretary saw her dash to the ladies' room. Of course the voice echoing off the bathroom tiles would belong to the one person she had been dead set on locating a mere five minutes before.

Forcing herself to stand on shaky legs, Relena threw the soiled toilet paper into the toilet and flushed the whole mess down. After the initial roar of the water subsided she cleared her throat to answer her unwanted visitor.

"Duo, what are you doing in the ladies room?" she asked.

"I, uh, saw you come in," he began a bit hesitantly."You didn't look so good, ya know? So, I uh, I wanted to come in and uh, make sure you were alright."

Relena stifled a smile. The guy sounded almost as embarrassed as she felt.

"I'm fine," she replied.

She smoothed back her hair from her face and straightened her suit before taking a deep, calming breath. If she was going to talk to him now was as good a time as any. After all, a conversation with the man on the other side of the bathroom stall was the sole reason she'd made this trip in the first place.

He was waiting for her when she emerged.

Dressed in full uniform for the day, he was leaning casually against the wall opposite the stall she had occupied. He had his arms crossed over his chest, the fingers of one hand tapping soundlessly against the opposite bicep. He watched her, his expression one of guilt mixed with worry. His concern for her had overridden his desire to avoid her.

He pushed away from the wall to make his way to her, stopping when they were nearly toe to toe. From so close Relena could see the crease in his brow where his eyebrows were drawn together.

"I heard you were sick. What the hell are you doing here, Relena?" he asked, his tone reproachful.

"It's just a stomach bug," she answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm fine. I wanted to see you. To talk about things," she told him honestly.

The look he gave her was wary.

"Things?"

Relena answered with firm nod of her chin.

"You've been avoiding me. You even resigned from my security detail."

Her tone sounded more accusatory than she meant, harsh enough that Duo retreated to his earlier place against the wall. His jaw clenched and unclenched several times while his eyes shifted from one place to the next, avoiding hers.

"Listen, Princess, it wasn't anything personal. I just switched-"

"Like hell it isn't personal," she snapped, temper flaring. "Une tried to feed me some story about you doing another Agent a favor by swapping shifts. I didn't believe it for a second. In fact, it would have been an easier sell if you'd _just _reassigned yourself instead of removing yourself from my life entirely. It was a dead giveaway when Pagan's homemade pecan pie was still in the refrigerator two days 's the funny thing about friendships, tend to notice when you stop showing up to raid their pantries..."

In truth there was so much more Relena wanted to say. She wanted to tell him how hurt she felt when he took her words the morning after as his cue to exit her life. To abandon their friendship. She wanted to demand that he reclaim his position as her security detail and that they put all of this silliness behind them.

In fact, she might have gotten further in her speech if it hadn't been for the insistent pounding in her temples, the nausea that was starting to churn in her belly, and the sudden lightheaded feeling that damn near zapped ever last bit of strength from her body.

She staggered a step towards the row of sinks that lined the wall beside her braided friend and caught herself on the porcelain edge.

"Hey, easy now, Princess!"

Duo's exclamation bounced off of the tiled walls in a series of alarmed echoes as his arm came around her waist to help keep her steady as her legs wobbled.

"C'mon, now, we'll find you someplace quiet so you can rest and..."

Relena never heard the rest of what he was saying. She swayed lightly on her feet and a second later it was lights out.


	7. Chapter 6

Unconventional

Chapter 6

by MoiChroi

Romance

Rated PG-13 to M

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Authors Note: I'm back! All through my unintentional hiatus this story has been plaguing me so without further adieu here is Unconventional Chapter 6!

Huge thanks to the awesome Chocolate-Covered-Coffee-Beans for being my Beta and to all of my loyal fans who have stuck with this story even during the long delay.

Reviews would be very much appreciated!

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

'Argh, that blasted alarm! Just five more minutes...please.'

Relena squeezed her eyes shut, annoyed that she was being robbed of her last precious moments of sleep by an evil electronic device with no sympathy for the fact that her pulse pounded angrily in her temples or that her body felt heavy with lack of sleep.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

'Oh, I hear you, I hear you already!'

Throwing out an arm in frustration Relena lashed out blindly, reaching for the blasted clock. She was not ready to drag herself out of bed yet. She was going to rip the damned thing from the wall and toss it into-

"Vice Foreign Minister, I'm relieved to see you're finally awake."

Relena's eyes flew open.

She was startled to see the smiling face of Sally Poe looming above her. Duo's worried face appeared over her shoulder an instant later. "Geez, Princess, you scared the shit outta me with that fainting stunt you pulled!"

The man's bright eyes and the concern on his face brought the events of the morning back to her with a sickening rush.

"I fainted?" she asked skeptically.

Duo confirmed with a nod."We were talking about...Well, you know. Right after you finished puking your guts up, and then you just kinda pitched forward. I'd be lying if I said it didn't scare me ," he told her.

Relena smiled weakly at his admision. She started to sit up slowly and was immediantly aware of the bandage covering the crook of her left arm.

Raising one eyebrow at her arm, she turned and locked gazes with Sally.

"Was I injured when I fainted?" she asked curiously, fingers gingerly edging the bandage.

"Not at all. Duo made sure you arrived without a single scratch," the older woman replied.

She flicked one of her long braids back over one shoulder and gestured to the clipboard she held at her side.

"It's Preventor policy to take a blood sample from anyone admitted into the infirmary," she informed her. "Duo filled us in on your medical history to the best of his ability and mentioned you'd been ill. The blood sample was helpful in determining your diagnosis," she explained. The coolness of her tone didn't escape Relena nor did the frown that tugged down the corners of her mouth.

"Diagnosis?" she asked curiously. "I have the Flu is all. It's nothing." She meant to dismiss the issue. To brush off the incident as a result of the illness and daily stress of the hefty role she played as Vice Foreign Minister, but the somber look from the Doctor stopped her from continuing.

Sally turned to Duo. "You'll have to excuse us now, Duo. I'm afraid from this point on that anything discussed is strictly between myself and Vice Foreign Minister Darlian."

"I've got some stuff to do anyways," Duo muttered in return. He caught Relena's eye on his way towards the door and winked. "I'll drop by your place later, Princess, to make sure you're obeying Doc's orders," he told her. His tone was serious but his eyes were crinkled at the corners. A sure sign that his good humor was on it's way to being restored. She smiled in relief and nodded. His playful manner did wonders for her bruised feelings. It was an effect of the Maxwell charm she supposed.

"I'll be the picture of compliancy," she promised with a grin.

"Be seein' ya then."

As soon as the door was closed behind him Relena turned her attention back to Sally. Leaning her cheek into the palm of one hand, she cocked her head to the side and regarded the Doctor seriously.

"So, if it's not the Flu then what is it?" Better to be straight to the point and get whatever it was out in the open. If Sally was at all surprised at her bluntness she didn't show it.

She peeled back a sheet on her clipboard, scanned it quickly ,then let it flutter back down again before speaking, "The common Flu as you know has several symptoms; nasuea, dizziness, vomiting, and body aches. It's not uncommon to feel one or all of these symptoms when hit with the bug ,but these symptoms can be tricky because they're also closely associated with another condition," she explained, then continued, "After sending your blood to the lab for testing, we were able to determine that you haven't contracted a virus, thankfully, but are in the very early stages of conception. We'll have to do a internal examination to determine exactly how far along you are but I'd guess not more than a few weeks or so."

Relena raised a hand abruptly, effectively stopping the woman from going on any further. The air felt suddenly thin, like someone had dumped a ton of bricks on her lungs.

Conception? There was no way. Unless a star had risen in the east there...was...no..way. Then the realization that there was a way dawned like a glass of ice water down her spine. Not once, not the morning after nor any time since, had the topic of what they'd done for protection come up between herself and Duo. She'd just assumed that between the two of them, two responsible adults, that it had been seen to.

"Oh my God.."

A sympathetic hand touched her shoulder. Sally's face leveled with hers. Unlike the friendly yet clinical look in her eyes that she wore while discussing Relena's diagnosis, this look was kind and compassionate. There was no condemnation in Sally Po's eyes.

"Judging from your reaction would I be right to assume that this was unplanned, Relena?" she asked gently.

Relena nodded.

"I see. Well I'm going to be honest with you, Relena. An unplanned pregnancy isn't the end of the world but it does come with a lot of changes and I wouldn't be much of a Doctor if I told you that you aren't without options," Sally told her gently as she grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it over. She sat gracefully then crossed her legs at the ankles as she uncapped a pen from her breast pocket.

"Since I can't even begin to presume what you may be thinking or feeling right now, how about we just sit awhile and discuss those options? No pressure to make any definite decisions right away and we'll go from there," she suggested gently as she began to scribble away on her clipboard.

Again Relena nodded, afraid that if she tried to speak now she'd expell whatever was left in her stomach from the morning.

Unbeknownst to the troubled young woman and her Doctor a persistent shadow still lurked outside the office door. Duo Maxwell was remembering an old saying Sister Helen used to impart on her young charges about curiosity and dead cats. Christ, all he'd wanted to do was make sure he got the whole story and not the holey version he knew Relena was bound to feed him in an effort to dismiss his worry regarding her health.


	8. Chapter 7

"We have a little saying about that stuff, 'One tequila, two tequila, three tequila floor, five tequila, six tequila, seven tequila morgue', mate."

The braided ex-pilot raised his shot glass in the air in a mock toast, tossed it back, and gave a satisfied grimace as the tequila burned a trail down his throat before he slammed the glass back down onto the dingy bar. He licked the last remnants of the tequila from his lips while the cheeky Irishman who'd spoken simply shook his head with a good humored grin and went back to wiping down his station.

"Guys back home who drink like tha are tryin' ta forget somethin', yanno," the Irishman ventured good naturedly.

Mac knew Duo as a regular and was used to his drinking habits after a grueling day at HQ however the tequila was new. He was used to seeing him knock back a few once or twice a week but he never went stronger than domestic brew, but tonight the storm cloud hovering over the man's head was darker than Mac had ever seen it. The blue Preventor's uniform was universally recognized and it was common knowledge to the public that as a Preventor he dealt with some pretty heavy stuff but he sensed that the usually cheery man had something else weighing on his shoulders. So, he cut him a break, and despite his slowly worsening drunken state, slid another shot his way. 

Duo downed the shot quickly. He slid the empty glass back across the bar before leaning his arm on the spotty wood and cupping his cheek in his palm thoughtfully. "I've just got a lot on my mind tonight, Mac," he admitted with a sigh before continuing, "and all of a sudden things have gotten pretty complicated for me pretty damn quickly..."

Mac's blue eyes brightened. "Say, now, complicated is usually code for troubles with lassies." He chuckled at the telling frown that settled on Duo's lips. Bingo. He slung his bar rag over his shoulder carelessly as he rummaged beneath the bar. He produced two bottles of bubbly Orange liquid and slid one across the counter to his Preventor friend who took one look at the label and grimaced, "Maybe I'm wrong but don't lady troubles usually warrant something stronger than Orange soda, buddy?"

"Conversations about women aren't meant ta be done with a belly full o' tequila, mate. You wanna have a clear head for women woes. Besides tis time for my break and if I wanna have me a pop I can damn well have one, now can't I?" He gave Duo a lopsided grin, tipped his bottle and took a long swallow. He made a satisfied sound in the back of his throat. "Delicious, eh? I don't think I'll ever get tired o' tha stuff-now, drink up, before it gets warm, and let's hear about this lass of yours. She your steady gal or what?"

Duo couldn't help the smile that had begun to take place on his lips. Mac couldn't be all that much older than him but after having seen him in action on numerous occasions he knew the guy possessed wisdom far beyond his years and with his charming attitude he never failed to get a down and out guy to spill his guts. He'd sure hit the nail right on the head, tonight, guessing a woman was the source of his misery. So, after only a moment's deliberation Duo began to spill it all.

"We aren't a couple or anything but we did hook up once, a few weeks back," he confessed. Hooking up was putting it lightly. "We'd been drinking after this big, fancy, to-do she had to attend and after, uh, a hiccup with the security in the place, one thing led to another, ya know? I can't recall all the details but as far as drunken one night stands it was pretty great. She was more beautiful in those fuzzy few hours together than I'd ever imagined...and I guess somehow between that night and the next morning I had it in my thick skull that it might turn into something more, but she apparently had other ideas. She wanted to forget it ever happened and remain friends."

"And," Mac prompted when Duo paused to take a swig of his Orange drink, "from what I assume I know of you, lemme guess, you respected her wishes without so much as a counter argument and walked away clean?"

Duo shrugged. "Pretty much. Only when we parted ways I didn't expect her to take something of mine with her," he muttered darkly. He sure as hell hadn't expected to find out that Relena's 'flu' was really a side effect of carrying his kid.

"What do ya mean? Like, she snitched yer wallet or somethin'?" Mac asked in disbelief. Women, he knew, could be some bloody mangy creatures. Seemed like a wallet would be the least of a lad's troubles, but from the look of this guy a missing wallet _was _the least of his troubles.

Duo chuckled darkly and shook his head, "Nah, nothing like that. I found out this morning that she's pregnant," he answered glumly.

He should have known that eavesdropping would come back to bite him in the ass but he knew Relena too well to trust that she would have given him the whole story about her diagnosis. She was independent and strong-willed while being absolutely incapable of putting herself before others. He absolved himself of any guilt by reminding himself that she would have downplayed everything, at least that's what he had thought before skulking around in the hall to eavesdrop.

He had definitely gotten more than he had bargained for and had stuck around long enough to hear the outcome and for Doc to rattle off a list of 'options' for Relena to consider. He'd felt a lump of pressure build in his throat when the gentle suggestion of termination was echoed back in Relena's small, uncertain voice. As a pacifist it was no surprise that she'd balk at such a suggestion, but she had given Sally her consent to continue with her barrage of information and at that point, Duo had hightailed it out of there. That's how he'd come to find himself on the present barstool.

He should have stayed, should have confessed to listening in, forced his way into Sally's office, and sat with Relena like a decent human being. He should have been the one to go through the appointment with her, held her hand through the mess of information she'd been given. Instead he'd fled the scene like a coward. He had never had much of a stomach for taking an innocent life and when he'd been faced with the possibility of hearing more talk of taking the life of his own unborn child it was like a swift blow in the gut. It had made him sick.

"She'd been sick for a few weeks so I just thought the Doc would be giving her some strict orders for lots of rest and up her vitamins yanno. Increase fluids and heck, maybe even lecture her for pushing herself too hard- we've all tried to convince 'Lena that she deserves some time off. Finding out that she's pregnant was the very last thing I expected."

Duo paused to take a breath and gather his thoughts. He was all over the place and the panic had begun to rise again. The words just kept tumbling out. Mac's expression however was sympathetic.

"I can relate all too well with how ya might be feelin', mate."

Duo's look was dubious which made Mac bark out of a hearty laugh. "Aww, don'tcha look at me like tha, it's true! I knocked up a lass I was dating a few years back," he confessed then added, "and I wasn't faring much better than you are now after I got the news. I'm an Irishman through and through so I was sittin' on my bar stool feelin' like my world was ending and pounding back much stronger stuff than that American swill you're downing but I remember it all like t'was yesterday."

"So, what did you do?" Duo asked earnestly while choosing to ignore the Irishman's good humored barb. Finally, he was going to get some insight on how to handle the situation with Relena. He wasn't about to get into a pissing contest with a bonafide Leprechaun over who could handle what better than the other. "What happened?"

Mac smiled like the answer was obvious. "I'm Catholic, mate, I did what any respectable, God-fearing Irishman would do. I downed meself half a bottle of spirits, marched my pissed arse to her old mans place and asked her ta marry me. Now, tha old man didn't take to it all tha well but despite his temper she made an honest man outta me a month later."

When the braided man's mouth popped open in surprise Mac couldn't help but grin. "She gave me a healthy son the following spring and now two years down the road we're expecting our second, a wee lassie, at Christmas time."

He wasn't sure how he managed but after a few wordless moments of gaping like a fish out of water Duo was able to scrape his jaw up off the worn counter top. Of course, the solution would have been just that simple. He'd been sitting on the same barstool for the last few hours, 'pissed' as Mac had put it, and not once had such a simple solution crossed his liquor-addled brain. If he was going off by his friend's words it really was quite typical of him. He wasn't simple by any means but he was a little clueless sometimes, tonight being a prime example.

"You've just helped me out big time, pal!" he exclaimed suddenly. He vacated his barstool so abruptly that the thing wobbled back on two worn nubs dangerously before clattering back down into its rightful place. Producing a crumpled wad of cash from his back pocket Duo didn't bother to count it before throwing it in the surprised bartenders face. "I owe ya one, Mac. Really."

Hooking his Preventor jacket on his pointer finger he slung the assigned garment over his shoulder and was preparing to make his way out the door and into the night when Mac's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You ever heard tha saying, 'I'm not sayin' it's goin' ta be easy, but I'm tellin' ya it's goin' ta be worth it'?" the Irishman asked softly.

The bar had long since emptied of its occupants, the comforting voice of Billie Holiday the only extra presence as her voice drifted over the room softly, but Duo heard the warning in the other man's voice all too clearly.

"Bein' a Dad is a tough job, mate and tha rewards are few and far between if ya know what I'm tryin' ta tell ya, but with a lot of love, a little bit of give and take and the desire ta do right by your baibin, it'll all work itself out. Remember tha and I think you'll be just fine, mate."

Giving the Irishman a firm nod in acknowledgment Duo gave a mock salute and exited the bar. It was time to face Relena instead of hiding out in a dingy bar like a coward. Relena deserved better and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to give it to her. Right after he begged her to give up any notions she might have about terminating the pregnancy.

-

Pagan hadn't asked about her haggard appearance upon her arrival home. He had noticed, like he noticed everything else, the creases on his weathered face had deepened tellingly, but he hadn't asked and Relena hadn't volunteered. She felt too battered and beaten down to do much more than lean gratefully on his arm while he guided her up the stairs and into her bedroom where he'd then ordered her into her warmest pajama's and informed her that he'd bring her a bowl of hot broth for her supper.

Relena had done as the old man had asked of her and true to his word, not long after she'd settled on the edge of her bed in her softest pajamas, he'd personally delivered a tray bearing a steaming bowl of chicken broth, saltine crackers and a mug of Chamomile tea sweetened with honey- the only meal she'd been able to hold down lately.

Now, after she'd made a half-hearted attempt at eating the meager meal, she sat in the same spot she'd started in and stared down at the glossy brochure in her lap. She'd taken the literature from her purse only to stare unseeingly at the cover. Sally had insisted that she take with her every bit of information on the subjects of pregnancy, family planning, adoption and termination that she had on hand. The information pamphlet she currently held was the one Relena feared above all else. Early termination of pregnancy.

While nothing about the situation was ideal, the longer Relena found herself staring at the uncertain expression on the woman's face within the brochure, the more conflicted she herself began to feel. For as long as she could remember the very thought of abortion had been abhorrent to her and she'd been a part of her fair share of debates with pro-abortionists. Now she could see that the decision to abort wasn't as black and white as she'd grown to believe. There were so many factors. Some women made the decision to abort due to financial instability, sexual assault, inability to provide, whether it be financially or emotionally, etc.

When the shoe was suddenly on the other foot, Relena could see how many different variables were involved with making such a devastating choice, and unlike many women who felt they didn't have a choice she herself had several. She was by no means rich, but she wasn't poor. With very few acquaintances, no family save for her estranged brother and his wife, and a very large and empty home, Relena had the means to care for a child a half dozen times over and a capacity for love that seemed limitless. She'd consented to sex with Duo; she hadn't been taken advantage of like so many countless women, the result being the tiny life that had taken up root within her womb.

As she flipped absently through the brochure in her hands Relena gave a soft snort of derision. Compared to some women her situation was so ideally perfect and sitting here contemplating terminating the pregnancy seemed selfish. Even still, with her life constantly in the spotlight, an unplanned pregnancy would be sure to have the media buzzing for months. She could picture the headlines splashed across every major tabloid; the speculations about who the father was, and so forth. Nor she or her unborn child would catch a break, not for months, maybe even years. Then there was the fact that she was the VPM and her life was a series of never-ending press conferences, meetings, tours and long hours at the office. How on earth would she be able to carve out the time to raise a baby?

Blinking away the sudden tears that threatened to consume her, Relena was startled out of her thoughts by the sudden appearance of a pair of combat boots just within her peripheral vision. Although the wearer of the shoes was slight in build, the familiar black footwear made deep impressions in the plush carpet that blanketed her floors. Knowing the footwear all too well but taking her time to gain some semblance of calm, she let her eyes move slowly upwards to where standard issued navy khakis met boot, up the long muscled legs, over the trim waist and toned chest. By the time their eyes met her heart was in her throat.

She found herself unable to ask him how he'd happened into her room in the middle of the night or why, when he wasn't scheduled but simply gave him a thin smile with lips that quivered with the effort to keep her clashing emotions at bay before the silent man standing before her.

"Duo…"

He stood silently, with arms held taut at his sides, fists clenched, regarding her from behind his chestnut bangs. With the moonlight the only source of illumination in the room, it was impossible to tell anything about what the braided man was thinking but the determined glint in his eyes as he took a step forward took the whatever words she had been about to say right out of her mouth.

Duo fell to his knees before her, wrapping his arms around her pajama clad knees, and rested his forehead against them. He stayed that way for several heartbeats before she felt his arms tighten briefly around her. "You can't..." His breath was warm as it seeped through the fabric of her nightclothes and the words he spoke next were muffled yet in the stillness that surrounded them they were unmistakable.

"You can't terminate the pregnancy."


	9. Chapter 8

Unconventional  
>Chapter 8<p>

A/N: I know it's been a long while since I've updated so I hope I still have some fans that are following and who will enjoy this next chapter! As always feedback is always appreciated and welcomed. After all, how can I improve if I don't know how I'm doing through the eyes of my readers?!

* * *

><p>With his arms wrapped tightly around her flannel clad knees and his face pressed intimately into the Vice Foreign Ministers lap, Duo knew he had far surpassed inappropriate. Should anyone have witnessed his actions, they would have considered them bordering on shockingly scandalous. However, from the moment he'd fallen to his knees in desperation before her, he found himself not caring. Seeing her sitting alone in the darkness of her room with only the forlorn shadows of the moon and the damning literature clenched in her tiny hands to keep her company had been his undoing. The brave facade he'd adapted on the drive over had simply crumbled upon taking it all in.<p>

"You can't terminate the pregnancy," he repeated softly, his lips ghosting over the scratchy material that covered Relena's knees. He felt her body tense and knew he'd caught her off guard. He realized then that she had no way of knowing that he'd obtained the information about her pregnancy through less than honest means. Slowly raising his head from her lap to see her expression, which has turned wary, he continued on, "You aren't alone in this. This baby isn't unwanted and I'm not going anywhere, Relena. I can promise you that. The circumstances aren't perfect, the timing is shitty and I know that when you pictured your future it wasn't with me by your side..." He paused for a minute to banish the thought of familiar glaring blue eyes that had come unbidden to the forefront of his mind before continuing, "but I know if you give this a chance, if you give me a chance, that we can do this. Together."

He gently tugged the offending pamphlet from her clenched fingers and tossed it to the floor without breaking eye contact with the quiet woman who was now looking down at him with eyes that shone with unshed tears. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was torn. Torn between her beliefs, her desires and ultimately, her duties as Vice Foreign Minister.

When she finally opened her mouth to speak Duo had no way of knowing what the outcome would be or what she had planned to say but impulse and desperation spurred him forward. Using his hands to gently nudge her knees apart he brought his torso to rest between her thighs and wrapped his arms gently around her waist before lowering his head slowly to rest against her abdomen. "I know what people say about me. They call me an idiot, say that I'm a clown and that I require more adult supervision than a toddler. I know I act like a fool, that I'm not your knight in shining armor, but if you give me this one chance I swear I won't screw it up!"

He hadn't given her any room to talk, to rebuke his words before he'd buried his face in the fabric of her nightgown and pleaded. Pleaded on behalf of the life growing within her, her unborn child- no, their unborn child. Helpless as the tears that had gathered in her eyes began to spill over, Relena could only bring her hands down to rest gently upon Duo's still shoulders. Any thoughts she'd been entertaining about terminating the pregnancy had quickly fled with his earnest plight but her heart still felt tender and bruised from the helplessness of the situation they'd suddenly found themselves in. Could they do what Duo promised? Could they raise a child, conceived through a drunken mistake, together?

Inching one hand up to cup the back of his head, Relena began to gently stroke his chestnut locks while he raised his head slowly to peer up at her, his gaze filled with so much hope that it made her heart twinge. Of course he would be against anything but keeping the baby once he found out, he was an honorable man and was passionate about living life, not throwing it away.

Swiping at her tear covered cheeks with the back of her free hand, she swallowed at the lump that had formed in her throat. "I'm so scared," she whispered. "I've been sitting here thinking about the life this baby could have, about my...options and I don't think I could ever go through with an abortion. I'm terrified, Duo," she admitted brokenly.

Sagging in relief at her spoken decision to follow through with the pregnancy, Duo hung his head and rested it against her abdomen once again. Up until he'd seen her sitting on the edge of her bed with the literature for abortion in her hands, he had had no idea that he felt anything but scared himself but the moment the idea that she would actually end the pregnancy had sprung to his mind, he'd felt protective over the tiny life residing within her and had been prepared to fight for it. He shouldn't have been surprised when she agreed to go through with it but surprised he was and happier than he could put into words. Their baby was safe.

Pressing a tender kiss to Relena's nightgown clad belly, Duo raised his head once again to look up into the misty blue eyes that were watching him with a mixture of sadness and curiosity. "We can do this, princess," he assured her softly, leaning into her touch, into the hand that still idly stroked his hair. They could do this.

* * *

><p>He'd waited until he'd coaxed her to get some rest and Relena had fallen asleep next to him in the grand bed before untangling himself from her arms and exiting the main room, escaping to the quiet of her adjoining office. As soon as he'd closed the door behind him he began to pace. Back and forth, around her desk, to the window and back. Now that Relena had put the thought of abortion out of her mind, for now, he knew that the shit had still yet to hit the fan. She could change her mind at any given moment but until then they had bigger problems to face: their friends, the media and the judgement of the entire world that would come to pass just as soon as word got out that Relena had been knocked up and by a former Gundam Pilot turned Preventor, no less.<p>

Groaning quietly at the shit storm they were now in the middle of, he paused in front of the window that overlooked the courtyard below and braced himself against the sill. He could deal with the reaction from their friends easily enough, but the media and the fallout that could come with Relena's position, those were two totally different animals. As a former Gundam Pilot and even now as a Preventor, he was used to weaving tales for the media as well as for the people but this is one that he couldn't just use slight of hand tactics and hope everyone would look the other way. Relena was the Vice Foreign Minister for Christ's sake. She was a permanent fixture in the public eye and nothing went unnoticed, right down to the slightest hair out of place. The second anyone detected even the slightest hint of a bump beneath her clothes and it was all over. Unless he could fabricate some grand tale to soften the blow before word officially got out.

Finding nothing of significance in the courtyard below, he turned back to the room and let his eyes wander the vast bookshelves, for something, anything to inspire him. How the hell did you hide a pregnancy anyway? He could just see trying to cover up a pregnancy belly with bloating due to PMS or an eating disorder but no one would buy that crap for nine months straight.

As he continued to wrack his brain for an elaborate cover up, his eyes skirted over the odds and ends that covered Relena's desk. "Well, what do you know, the Vice Foreign Minister isn't the neat freak you'd think she was," he mused to himself with a wry smile as he took in the scattered paperwork, the half opened letter and the assortment of pens, highlighters and varied vanilla envelopes containing more paperwork no doubt, that were strewn about.

It was only when his eyes lighted on the ornate wooden picture frame on the corner of the desk that Duo really stopped and gave the item his full attention. The area around the picture frame was the only cleared area on the entire surface, a show of reverence for the couple contained inside of the faded black and white photograph. Crossing the room in a few easy strides, Duo lifted the frame from its resting place and examined it closely. It was a picture of Relena's adoptive parents, the Darlians, on their wedding day.

It all clicked into place so quickly Duo was aghast that he hadn't simply thought of it at the very beginning of his rising panic session. If there was one way to soften the blow of and minimize the damage to Relena's reputation and her relationship with the people, it was this.

* * *

><p>One of the perks of being a Preventor was the many connections you made during your time on the job. Without said connections, Duo would have had a heck of a time getting anyone but the guy on 3rd street to open his shop at 5AM on a Saturday. Of course, he'd had to explain the situation with the barest of details but to his relief the shop keeper hadn't asked many questions and had presented him with the merchandise he was after amiably enough for someone who had been roused from their bed at such an ungodly hour. It took only a handful of minutes for Duo to find what he was after and after paying the price and then some for the guys trouble, he was en route to Relena's home again just before 7AM. As he allowed himself to pause in his seat before exiting the car, he fervently hoped that she would hear him out and agree that this was the best course of action they could take.<p>

* * *

><p>Mumbling softly to herself as the haze of sleep that surrounded her disappeared, Relena slowly became aware of the world around her. She cracked one eye open warily to take in her surroundings and found herself focusing on the sun as it was just starting to rise outside her window, its light creeping slowly into the room as it began its ascent into the sky. Bathed in the golden glow sat Duo Maxwell, hunkered down in the chair he'd drawn up by her bedside sometime while she'd slept. In his hand he'd propped his chin, and his eyes were already regarding her eagerly, now that she was awake and aware of his presence.<p>

"Good morning," she mumbled softly as she moved to a sitting position in bed. She stretched as Duo echoed her greeting. She didn't know what she expected after the previous evenings events, but finding him waiting for her now was a welcome sight. At least he hadn't run screaming for the hills yet.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Relena nodded. "I did, much better than I thought I was going to, thanks," she admitted. Once Duo had climbed into bed with her and the heat of his body had seeped into hers, Relena had been lulled to sleep quite easily. It wasn't as if they hadn't ever shared a bed before. They had started doing so after Heero's death as Duo's way of dispelling the nightmares that plagued her, however last night had been a much more intimate experience.

The way he'd tucked her in, crawled in behind her and shifted them both so that they had been closely joined, his arms coming around her waist to rest gently over her belly, it had all been so sweet and just so...Duo. She had been out like a light in a few short minutes.

Meeting Duo's eyes now, she couldn't help but smile shyly. "Did you get any sleep? I'm not an easy person to sleep with. I move around too much," she admitted.

Duo grinned his easy grin. "I didn't get much sleep," he answered, but was quick to rush on when she felt her face fell, "but it wasn't because you kept me up. I used your office and did some thinking about- well, there's an idea I wanted to run by you." Tilting her head curiously to the side, Relena arched an eyebrow and gestured with one hand to encourage him to continue. She was surprised when he moved quickly from his chair and came to sit next to her on the bed, taking both of her hands in his.

"This is going to sound like the most unromantic thing I have ever said but I need to get it out before I explode. Relena, I think we should get married," he gushed, freeing one of her hands to fish around in his pocket before producing a small velvet box that immediately widened Relena's eyes into saucers. "I was up all night thinking about it and not only does it seem like the right thing to do but it also seems like the logical thing to do, for everyone." he concluded quickly as Relena's heart started to gallop within her chest.

He was proposing? To her? She'd hardly even gotten over the shock of finding out she was pregnant with his child after a one night stand yet here he was, with a ring, looking so sincere and dare she say, hopeful. "Duo, I'm speechless," she told him, eyes on the box he'd offered her. True, it was unromantic as hell and unexpected but she couldn't resist a peek at the ring inside. As she took the little box and slowly opened the hinged lid her heart flipped over in her chest in excitement. Once the box was open, she gasped at the ring nestled on a bed of crushed velvet. It wasn't obscene like one would expect the Vice Foreign Minister to wear but a modest diamond solitaire on a beautifully polished platinum band. It was perfection and she told him so.

As she continued to absorb the ring Duo plunged into his explanation and the inspiration behind it. As surprised as she was at his impromptu proposal, she knew that Duo's thought process had been spot on. He'd just reached the end conclusion before she had. The proper thing to do in this situation was to become engaged to one another and marry as quickly as possible, while the logical thing to do in light of her position and the judgement of the people, amounted to the same. Once her condition was leaked there would be plenty of speculation and her face would be splashed across every tabloid worldwide. Duo hadn't wasted any time getting ahead of the game and formulated a plan that would benefit everyone as well as protect her and their unborn child. She was grateful for him and knew that this was the path they needed to take.

Squaring her shoulders, Relena met Duo's uncertain gaze head on and finally nodded. "Duo Maxwell, I accept your proposal."


	10. Chapter 9

Unconventional Means

Chapter 9

By Caiteeland

A/N: I know I just updated the other night but this scene wouldn't get out of my head. I know the shortness of the chapter doesn't do it justice but I had to get it up for everyone to read through. I I hope everyone likes it!

As always your continued faithfulness to this story is much appreciated and I would LOVE to hear what everyone thinks via reviews and well, more reviews!

* * *

><p>The place smelled of mildew, stale cigarettes and cheap beer. Strewn about the sparsely decorated, dingy rat hole of an apartment were two broken bar stools, a lopsided kitchen table, an old couch that sagged in the middle and a neatly made bed in the far corner; the only decent stick of furniture in the entire place. The pipes were all rusted and dripped 247 while the water that came out of them was always cold.

The sole occupant of the space was seated in front of the outdated television set, watching the evening news with a face void of expression and eyes obscured under a mop of hair that fell across his brow. The man was short in stature but a solid wall of lean muscle that he kept up after with various exercises conducted within the sanctuary of his 4 walls as a way to both stay fit and occupy his time after the sun dipped beneath the horizon each evening..he didn't get out much after night fell, his paranoia wouldn't allow for it. Tonight, rather than pace the ratty carpet as he did most nights, he was occupying himself with a beer and the news; it was the only frivolous activity that he allowed himself in the evenings and only for the benefit of keeping himself up to date on what was going on in the world around him during his nightly seclusion.

Gaze never wavering, the man leaned forward a fraction of an inch to focus on the announcer for the evening news. Tonight the station has promised a special broadcast about Vice Foreign Minister Darlian and he never missed a feature on the VPM; they were the highlight of his lonely evenings. He turned up the volume and took a swig from the bottle in his hand as the broadcast began.

_"The hearts of hopeful bachelors are breaking around the globe. Reports came flooding into the station earlier this evening that is officially off the market and has recently taken vows of holy matrimony. If a surprise marriage isn't enough of a bombsell from the world-renowned ex-bachelorette, she and her husband, rumored to be a former Gundam Pilot, are also expecting their first child together in early spring! With her nupitals, pregnancy and the upcoming press tour to the Colonies, Mrs. Darlian has had quite the busy year. Reporting to you live in front of the Darlian Mansion is Walt James with more on this-" _

The volume cut off abruptly, leaving the sole occupant of the room in stony silence while he continued to watch the broadcast on mute. Through narrowed eyes he watched as Darlian's new husband exited the vehicle first, scanning the perimeter quickly before turning to assist his wife from the car. Together they made the journey through the gathered crowd and up the stairs, ducking away from microphones as they went. It was a quick procession, clean and well-rehearsed. The couple disappeared from sight just as the camera panned to the anchor covering the story.

Throwing the remote down in disgust, he frowned. Security was lacking in the event of such an announcement hitting the media. Had he been in charge of the guard detail he would have assigned several Preventor Personal to the site. The sole handgun he'd glimpsed on the hip of the Vice Foreign Ministers husband wouldn't have been sufficient had there been any signs of immediate danger. Today, Darlian had been safe from harm but there was always tomorrow.

Fortunately he was on the outside looking in and the holes in security were far too easy to spot. Fortunately his current assignment was almost through..and now he had a new target within his sights.


End file.
